Hitokiri Hotaru
by Shizuka-chan16
Summary: COMPLETE! What if there were other assassins working alongside Kenshin during the Revolution? This is the story of one.
1. Default Chapter

HITOKIRI HOTARU  
  
A/N-Yes folks it's me, Shizuka-chan16 and this is my newest fic, just in time for the holidays. Basically, this one's about a FEMALE hitokiri who picked up the sword in the tumultuous Bakumatsu and fought alongside Kenshin himself! Of course, this is just a fic since we know Kenshin was pretty much working along for the Choshu clan. But enjoy anyway.  
  
DISCLAIMER- I don't own Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X. I only lay claim to Hotaru, Tokaji, and other characters whom you will not see or hear about in the anime, manga, or OVA! Don't sue me!  
  
INTRODUCTION  
  
It was almost 150 years ago. Japan was in chaos as the Tokugawa shogunates were overthrown and the emperor was restored to power. This was the shift from the Tokugawa Bafuku to the Meiji Restoration.  
  
The Bakumatsu marked the beginning and the end of this revolution. In this brief era, the Ishin Ishi clashed with the Shogunates and the Shinsengumi. The streets were bloodied with every night and the sounds of clashing swords seemed to echo on for eternity.  
  
In this time of ruthless battling, assassins arose, swordsman of unspeakable strength and skill. Legends arose with each one. Surnames were replaced with professional names. Thusly, Himura Kenshin was known as Hitokiri Battousai.  
  
But while this redheaded boy of the sword was a legend, so were those who stood beside him within those Kyoto streets. One in particular stood out.  
  
This warrior was smaller than the others and came from the background of a slave. But what was most surprising about this young sword prodigy was that it was a girl, Hitokiri Hotaru.  
  
This is her story. 


	2. Chapter 1 His Last Yen

CHAPTER 1- HIS LAST YEN  
  
Katsura Tokaji reached up and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Kuso," he murmured hoarsely. "The sun's going down, we've been walking for hours, and it's still hot enough to make me want to pass out!"  
  
Trailing a short distance behind, his horse Sora nickered.  
  
He scoffed, reading her tone. "Yeah, I know. I'm some swordsman, eh?" He placed a hand to the hilt of his katana, which was partially hidden under the sleeve of his blue gi. Perhaps that was for the best anyway since people bearing swords were marked as suspicious.  
  
"But still, this job sucks," Tokaji went on. "Here I am, 18-years-old, son of the Choshu clan's boss, and I'm stuck being the messenger boy!" He now reached into his pocket and pulled out the precious cargo he'd walked all day to retrieve. It was a black envelope. Every warrior, Shogunate or Ishin Ishi, knew that with every black envelope came a message of death. Someone would have to face up to it in the impending hours of night.  
  
Tokaji sighed and tucked it back into his gi. "Well, Himura's probably gonna be assigned to this one, like always,"  
  
Sora nipped at his arm, as if scolding him.  
  
"Ah, it's not that I WANT to actually kill people," he protested. "It's just that I'm sick of being the underdog! I want to make a difference in this war!"  
  
A cooling breeze drifted across the scenic landscape, ruffling the youth's thick black hair and the mare's chestnut brown mane. He took a deep breath and continued on. "Come, come now Sora. We promised the old man that we'd return to the city by midnight."  
  
They continued down the dusty dirt road for a while longer while the sun continued to drop below the mountainside. It was peaceful out amongst the farmlands. Though Tokaji wanted to take part in the turbulent battles within Kyoto, he also missed the country. After all, he had been born in a small village miles from any city.  
  
He smiled sadly towards each farming hut he and Sora passed. "If I could have one wish, it's that the fighting will protect and free peaceful places like these."  
  
Suddenly, the wind brought them a wave of voices.  
  
"Who will give 25 yen for these two boys?"  
  
"25, here!"  
  
"30!"  
  
"30, who will give 35?"  
  
Around the bend in the path, in a large field, there was a gathering of people. They were shouting out their negotiations to a large, bearded fellow standing atop a tree stump.  
  
Tokaji paused and strode over for a closer look. What he saw sent chills of horror up and down his spine and caused his blue eyes to widen.  
  
Slaves were being sold to the masses. It was a slave auction, the first the young man had ever seen. And he knew right off that he didn't want to see one again. He scowled to himself. "People selling people.how awful is that?"  
  
Sora turned away and snorted. She too seemed disgusted.  
  
Just then, another slave was pushed from the others and pulled in front of the buyers.  
  
Tokaji gasped, unable to hide his horror. "Why, that's just a little girl!"  
  
Sure enough, a child wearing a tattered dusty kimono stood knee-high in the grass, hands and feet shackled, head down. Tokaji had never seen something so pitiful, so pathetic.  
  
The bidding started. "Who will give 15 yen for this little one? 15?"  
  
Through the chorus of traders and waves of hands, the girl's head slowly lifted. Her dark brown eyes, hidden partially under mousy brown hair, scanned the throng before coming to rest on a certain young man far in the back.  
  
Their eyes met and locked. Tokaji's heart raced. At that moment, despite the distance between them, he thought for sure that he'd seen her face light up ever so slightly. For a long moment, they stared.  
  
Then, Tokaji winced, turning his head away. "No!" he said to himself. "I can't do anything to help her. There's nothing I can do to---  
  
He was cut off when Sora nudged his hip. He heard the jingle of coins and realized that he still had his wallet. For another moment, a gleam of hope shined brightly in his eyes. "Maybe I---  
  
But wait, that money was from his mother! It was supposed to be for emergencies only. And this wasn't an emergency.right?  
  
"30 yen!"  
  
"31 yen!"  
  
'The price is going up!' he thought. 'No, I can't do anything.'  
  
He turned and walked away, Sora trailing. The girl watched them go. Her head drooped once more.  
  
"45! 45 yen!"  
  
"45, do I hear 50!"  
  
"75 YEN!!!"  
  
The young voice echoed across the field, silencing the bidding. The bearded auctioneer spoke. "75 yen?" Who would spend such money on such a frail- looking girl?  
  
But Tokaji stepped forward, finality in his frown. Half of him had no clue what he was doing, but the people could see the other half. Within minutes, the little girl joined Tokaji and Sora on that dusty road.  
  
Tokaji scratched the back of his head. "Well, I guess we're gonna have to make room at the inn, kid. Hold still a minute." He drew back his sleeve and unsheathed his katana.  
  
She shrunk back a little, wary of the sharp blade. But he smiled. "Don't worry. I wouldn't pay 75 yen to kill you. Hold out your hands."  
  
Out of obedience rather than willingness, she held up her small, calloused hands. In one quick swing, Tokaji sliced away the shackles.  
  
She stood there in astonishment, gazing down at her newly freed limbs. Then, she looked up at him, as if puzzled.  
  
He shrugged. "You're not a slave anymore. Now, the only reason you'll be coming with me is because you'll probably have no where else to go."  
  
She stared back at him for a moment, then nodded.  
  
"Okay, well let's get going," he said. "You look light enough, so I'll put you up on old Sora here." He gave his mare a pat on the neck.  
  
The little girl didn't protest to his picking her up. As he swung her around and placed her up on the horse's back, Tokaji was amazed by how light she was. 'I had better make a list,' he said to himself. 'One: put some weight on her. Two: get her some new clothes."  
  
Rather instinctively, the girl took hold of Sora's mane, ready to ride. Tokaji grinned. "Good, just stay like that and you won't fall off." He began to lead them down the road. "It'll be a couple hours before we get to Kyoto, so hang on."  
  
After a while, it was pitch black. The stars glittered in the cloudless night sky.  
  
Tokaji paused as a pair of tiny lights buzzed past him, right under his nose. He smiled. "Ah, fireflies on a summer night."  
  
One glowing insect flew up towards the silent child. She studied it as it fluttered in front of her. To Tokaji's surprise, a cheerful smile flashed across her dirty face.  
  
He chuckled. "You like them, eh? I don't blame you. They'd make anyone appreciate the hot summer." He turned around and kept walking. "By the way, my name's Tokaji. Katsura Tokaji. Do you have a name?"  
  
"Number 31,"  
  
"ACK! That's a slave number!!"  
  
She had no name.  
  
Tokaji thought for a moment while fireflies continued to light their way towards the city. Then, he snapped his fingers. "I got it!" He turned back to face her. "From now on, I'll call you Hotaru!"  
  
He had named her after the fireflies.  
  
Hotaru mouthed the name to herself, then smiled.  
  
"Thank you, Tokaji."  
  
.........  
  
A/N- Here's a glossary for some Japanese terms  
  
Bakumatsu- The final, bloody days of the Tokugawa Period  
  
Choshu clan- A group of patriots fighting in the Revolution. The Battousai worked for this clan in the OVA.  
  
Hitokiri- An assassin  
  
Ishin Ishi- Patriots fighting to end the Tokugawa period and to restore the emperor  
  
Shinsengumi- A sort-of loyalist police force that patrolled the Kyoto streets and attempted to restore order during the Bakumatsu. Saitoh Hajime was a captain for one of it's forces.  
  
Shogunate- Loyalists to the Tokugawa Bakufu; the prime target for Hitokiri Battousai  
  
*Also, in keeping with Asian tradition, last names come first, then first names. So with Katsura Tokaji, his first name is Tokaji and his last name is Katsura. 


	3. Chapter 2 The Inn

CHAPTER 2- THE INN  
  
By the time midnight struck, the night had grown cold and windy. Or perhaps it was simply the atmosphere in such a city. Kyoto was, after all, a place of war and plunder.  
  
The Inn was just as desolate as anywhere else, but it had a sense of meaning to a lone figure who crept from shadow to shadow. So quickly he moved, it was as if he feared the light of the moon and wished it not to touch him. His feet moved in rapid footfalls and his breath was somewhat ragged. His long ponytail, appearing bronze-red in the darkness, wavered high on his head. He didn't pause until he had come within just a few yards of his sanctuary. Then, he stopped dead, tapping into his senses. He would make sure he was the only one out on this frosty night.  
  
But on this night, he wasn't alone, or at least he wouldn't be for long. His sharp ears could hear something, footsteps mixed in with the clip-clop of a horse's hooves. Amber eyes widening slightly, he ducked into the shadows of the Inn and the neighboring building. His hand took an instinctive position over the katana clipped faithfully at his side. As the sound grew louder, closer, he waited.  
  
"Relax, Himura!" came a familiar voice. "It's only me!"  
  
Himura straightened and stepped from the shadows. Tokaji came into view from around the bend, leading his mare. But then, he saw the horse's rider and froze. "Katsura.who is that?"  
  
Pulling Sora to a halt, Tokaji reached up, gathered up the droopy-eyed child, and placed her down on the ground. "Himura, this is Hotaru-chan." He placed a hand on the girl's head. "Hotaru, this is Himura."  
  
Himura's amber eyes flickered with curiosity, perhaps even amusement. "Where did you find this one?"  
  
"I bought her!" Tokaji piped.  
  
"Eh?"  
  
"Never mind, I'll explain later. Come Hotaru-chan, we must put old Sora in the barn."  
  
She broke into a grin. "Hai!"  
  
They headed past the rather stunned Hitokiri, who watched them go, closed his eyes for a brief moment, then proceeded indoors. Questions could wait if he still felt like asking. But knowing Tokaji, it would be some story.  
  
Hotaru tugged at Tokaji's sleeve. "Tokaji-san? How come Himura looks so mean?"  
  
The youth took off the saddle and bridle and turned the mare loose in her stall. He sighed. "If he looked mean, I'm sure it wasn't intended."  
  
"But he was frowning." Already she was talking up a storm.  
  
Tokaji smiled. "Well, let's just say he's like that with everyone. The poor guy just can't smile now."  
  
"Oh."  
  
........  
  
"Tokaji, what have you done now?" Katsura Kogoro demanded coolly. He must have asked Himura what was going on because he was waiting at the door for his son and Hotaru to come in.  
  
Tokaji cursed inwardly. He hadn't actually thought about how his old man would react to him bringing a child. He put up his hands in defense. "Uh, well Pa, I sort of bought her."  
  
Idzuka, Himura's droopy-eyed supervisor, peered around Kogoro to see. "Bought her? She looks like a slavegirl!"  
  
"You hit the nail on the head!" Tokaji piped, uncomfortable under his father's heavy stare. "She was being sold at auction so I bought her!"  
  
Kogoro straightened and rubbed his brow wearily. "It's too late in the night for this."  
  
Hotaru peeked up at him from where she cowered behind Tokaji. She'd never seen someone so godlike! He was a giant! No wonder Tokaji seemed scared of him!  
  
"Tokaji, living here would do her worse than being a slave!" Idzuka declared.  
  
"But she'll be here on her own free will!" Tokaji protested. "Besides, she's only a kid! Where else does she have left to go?"  
  
"Tokaji, you---  
  
"Excuse me gentlemen! Excuse me!"  
  
The conversation was brought to a halt by a short, gray-haired woman who scurried past them, struggling to carry a stack of rice bowls. However, as she passed through, she tripped. "Oh no!"  
  
The plates went flying.  
  
But they never crashed to the floor, much to everyone's surprise. Hotaru was sitting on the ground now, having caught them all with one grab!  
  
Tokaji blinked for a second, then beamed. "Yeah! Good save!"  
  
Okami-san, the elderly woman took one look at the child. Then, her eyes lit up and a wide smile stretched across her face. "Oh my! A little child! How adorable!"  
  
Hotaru cocked her head shyly before smiling back. "Hiya!"  
  
'So, Okami-san seems to like her,' Tokaji noted. He turned back towards his father. "Come on, Pa! Let her stay! It'll be good to have some extra help around here, don't you think?"  
  
"Well, that was a good save," Kogoro agreed softly. Finally, he smiled slightly. "If you're willing to take full responsibility, then fine."  
  
Tokaji beamed. "Hear that, Hotaru-chan? You get to stay!"  
  
She turned back towards him and beamed. "Yay!" 


	4. Chapter 3 Training to Kill

CHAPTER 3- TRAINING TO KILL  
  
And so, Hotaru settled into life at the inn as a treasured "granddaughter" to the innkeeper Okami-san. Meanwhile, Idzuka, one of Kogoro's men, called her "Tokaji's Pet", which earned him the youth's death glare.  
  
"Hey, hey easy!" Idzuka would tell him. "You look as formidable as Himura when you frown like that!"  
  
Tokaji's eyes would narrow even more. "Yeah well, soon enough I will be THAT formidable."  
  
Hotaru, as talkative and bubbly as she was, still stayed well out of the way of the others. She knew she'd have to work to earn her keep, so she was pretty much all about business. She helped Okami-san clean the rooms, cook, and even run errands to the market by day. Never was she allowed out at night.  
  
"It used to be safe to travel about at night in the city," Tokaji told her. "But now, not even a woman or child dare to venture out."  
  
"How come?" Hotaru asked. Back in the country, everyone went about as they pleased at any time.  
  
"Because of it being the Bakumatsu and all." Tokaji explained. "Himura's the only one of us out there in the late hours. And that's so he---  
  
She cocked her head at his sudden pause. "What's the matter? What does Himura-san do?"  
  
He shook his head. "No, you don't need to know that now."  
  
The conversation was left at that, but Hotaru's curiosity remained. What happened at night in Kyoto that made everyone so morbid?  
  
Then, one night, just as Hotaru was finishing her chores, she heard the shoji door slide open. Falling silent, she listened as light footsteps hurried down the hall, right towards her! Unsure of what to do, she just stood still.  
  
In came Himura, his ponytail hanging over his head, his clothes dark and stained. His narrowed amber eyes immediately fell upon her and widened slightly. Apparently, he didn't expect her to be there.  
  
"Hotaru,"  
  
But her eyes had focused on the stains on his gray hakama. They were spatters of sorts and crimson in color. Suddenly, it registered.  
  
Her face went pale. "You're a."  
  
Himura closed his eyes and turned his head away. "Aa."  
  
So that was the reason for the daisho. Himura was an assassin. He went out at night to kill.  
  
"I.I." she didn't know what to say.  
  
Himura walked out slowly, his shoulders sagging a little. To the young girl, he seemed to be saying, 'Don't look at me. Don't ever look at me.'  
  
She tried to wipe that moment out of her head. She didn't want to think that the people Tokaji brought her to were killers.  
  
Then, one afternoon, Okami-san summoned Hotaru to the kitchen. "Here," she said, handing her a small package. "Take this to Tokaji. He's just down the road outside of the city. He'll be near the sakura trees."  
  
"Yes ma'am." She scurried outdoors into the hot air. Summer still cast its almost unbearable rays down upon Kyoto. Hotaru decided to head to the barn and saddle up old Sora. If she ran all the way out to the countryside, she'd probably faint.  
  
The ride took a good twenty minutes or so. Bouncing in the saddle, Hotaru searched the trees for Tokaji. "Okami-san said he'd be near the sakura trees. Where are the sakura trees?"  
  
"HAH! HYAH!"  
  
VSH! CRASH! All of a sudden, a massive tree came thundering down in front of the trotting mare!  
  
"AHHH!" Hotaru struggled with the reins to pull Sora up, but they were traveling too fast. The horse gathered herself and leapt. She cleared the downed tree, but the shock for the inexperienced rider was too great. Shaken from the saddle, she fell to earth. "AAAAAHHHHH!"  
  
"HOTARU!"  
  
A hand clamped around her foot. She was stopped from the fall, her face just a few inches from the ground. Tokaji had caught her!  
  
Panting, he placed her down. "Are you okay?"  
  
Blinking to orient herself, Hotaru looked up at him. "Oh, I'm okay."  
  
Just then, she saw something in his other hand, something that made her eyes widen and her cheeks pale. "Tokaji-san, why are you out here with that sword?"  
  
It was a katana, one of the swords she had seen Himura carrying.  
  
Tokaji sighed and reached into his gi. "I have something to show you." He pulled out a black envelope!  
  
Hotaru gasped. Whenever Himura was given one of those, he would go out at night. Someone was to die and his name was written within the black envelope!  
  
"Why do you have it?" she asked in a whisper.  
  
"Tonight, it will be my turn." He told her. "My turn to be a Hitokiri."  
  
Hotaru's world spun. She hadn't lived at the inn for more than a few weeks now and she never imagined Tokaji would be ordered to kill. Not the cheerful, overeating, jokester Tokaji she knew!  
  
He read the terror in her expression and smiled sadly. "I know. I don't really want to do it either. But with every Shogun that Himura and I kill, the sooner this war will end."  
  
"But Tokaji-san! Killing's wrong!" she protested, grabbing hold of his gi in the process.  
  
"I know. I know it's wrong," he said calmly. "But there's no way around it. Father told me my skills are polished enough for me to begin working with Himura. I plan to follow through."  
  
Silence.  
  
Then, Tokaji noticed the package tied over her shoulder. "What's that there?"  
  
"Hm? Oh, I think Okami-san made you lunch." Hotaru declared, taking it off and handing it over.  
  
Tokaji licked his lips hungrily. "Damn, that Okami-san spoils me."  
  
That night, in the cover of the shadows, Katsura Tokaji made his first kill.  
  
............ 


	5. Chapter 4 Scars

CHAPTER 4- SCARS  
  
Tokaji's first assassination was only the beginning. As Hotaru quickly found out, he would be gone on many nights, daisho at his waist and determination in his eyes. Most of the time, he went about the dark business alone. Other times, Himura went with him. On these occasions, Tokaji would simply be there to back him up. However, the youth saw this as foolish.  
  
"Himura's perfectly capable of handling those jobs without my help." He would say.  
  
But Kogoro would give him a knowing frown. "If that were the case, then you would not be a Hitokiri altogether."  
  
The two fought side-by-side in the Kyoto streets for some time. Then, one cool autumn night, there was trouble.  
  
It was late and Hotaru was asleep in her futon. But her eyes shot open when she heard the shoji open downstairs. She knew the boys were home.  
  
"AH! WHAT HAPPENED?" That loud shout drove her out of her room, down the hall, and down the stairs. There, she almost screamed at what she saw.  
  
Himura stood there in the doorway, his cheek cut and bleeding. Slung over one shoulder was a moaning Tokaji!  
  
"TOKAJI-SAN!" Hotaru raced forward to help. She, Idzuka, and Kogoro pulled him down off of the redhead assassin.  
  
Eyes filling with tears, Hotaru stared at her master's face. "No."  
  
He was a bloody mess. There was a deep gash running from under the ribs, across the chest, to his left shoulder. His eyes were squeezed shut in agony.  
  
Kogoro, who was a little pale himself, hoisted his son up over his own back. "Okami-san! Hotaru! Let's get him cleaned up!" He carried him to an empty room and deposited him softly on a futon. Then he stood back while Okami-san began her work. "Hotaru-chan," she hissed. "Hand me the supplies when I call for them, okay?"  
  
Anxious to help, the child nodded. "Yes."  
  
By dawn, Tokaji was stitched up and bandaged. Okami-san smiled with relief. "He's young and strong. He'll be up on his feet again within a few weeks."  
  
Kogoro grinned slightly as well. "That's good to hear."  
  
Hotaru beamed. "I'm so glad!" She wanted to throw her arms around her young master, but knew his injuries wouldn't tolerate that. So instead, she grasped his large hand in her own. "So glad."  
  
Okami-san rose to her feet wearily. "I'm beat!" Just then, she peered around. "Where's Himura?"  
  
Kogoro blinked in surprise. Himura had come into the room to check on things. Where could he have gone now?  
  
And so, a few minutes later, Hotaru was knocking lightly on Himura's bedroom door. "Himura-san? May I come in please?"  
  
There was a faint sound in reply, but Hotaru's senses translated it into a "yes". She slid open the door and entered.  
  
Himura sat up against the wall, leaning partially on a pile of books. Now Hotaru had known him enough to know that he didn't read. He only used the stacks for a pillow. He didn't ever sleep in a futon.  
  
Hotaru closed the door behind her and put on her friendliest smile. "Gomen nasai, for disturbing you. But you left before anyone could check to see if."  
  
She noticed dried blood on his face, his left cheek to be precise. She took a step forward to see. "Is that still bleeding?"  
  
Himura shook his head. The intense glow in his eyes seemed to lessen ever so slightly.  
  
"Well, aside from that, are you okay?" Hotaru asked.  
  
He nodded, causing his red ponytail to bounce a little. He really wasn't one to talk.  
  
Knowing she wasn't going to go any further with the conversation, Hotaru bowed her head respectfully and turned to go. "Okay then. Sleep well, sir."  
  
"Hotaru."  
  
"Eh?"  
  
He looked at her fully, his eyes becoming less and less forbidding. "Arigato gozaimasu."  
  
That was the first time he'd ever addressed her. 


	6. Chapter 5 Chat with Okami san

CHAPTER 5- A CHAT WITH OKAMI-SAN  
  
"Okami-san?"  
  
"Eh? What's the matter deary?"  
  
Hotaru entered the kitchen and began putting away the plates. "Himura-san and Tokaji-san.why do they have to be of the Hitokiri?"  
  
Okami-san stopped in her cleaning. "Well, young Tokaji's involved with it because of Kogoro-sama. I think that, more than anything, he wants to prove himself to him."  
  
"But why?" Hotaru asked. "Kogoro seems to care for him just fine already!"  
  
"Yes well, Tokaji's only 18-years-old." The old woman told her. "He's at the point in his life where he goes strictly by what HE believes."  
  
"Oh," Hotaru responded.  
  
"And as for Himura, all I know is how badly this whole killing agenda's been for him. You know, he used to be the sweetest boy I've ever known."  
  
"He was?"  
  
"When he first came here, his eyes were bright and kind. He helped me with all the chores without ever being asked to. He even cooked sometimes." Okami-san smiled. "Yes, if I had a daughter his age, I would have set them up just like that."  
  
"Wow," Hotaru had never really pictured what Himura was like as a child. How could such a cold, melancholy person have once been so humble and gentle? Or maybe he was humble and gentle still, but just not in a friendly way. Hotaru didn't know what to think.  
  
"But then, after that first kill." Okami-san's smile faded. "After that first kill, he never smiled again. His eyes became that deathly amber that they are now, with every kill he made. He's only 15, a boy still, but with all of this destruction that he himself has done, he'll be miserable for the rest of his life."  
  
"Oh no, Okami-san." The child covered her mouth with her hands. Poor Himura. Poor, poor Himura.  
  
She looked up at the old woman. "Okami-san? Will that happen to Tokaji-san too?"  
  
Okami-san was silent for a moment. Then she shook her head. "I don't know, Hotaru-chan. I just don't know." 


	7. Chapter 6 The Will

CHAPTER 6- THE WILL  
  
"I don't know Hotaru-chan. I just don't know."  
  
Okami-san's words echoed through Hotaru's head for days. Then, one night, she lay awake in bed. Shifting slightly beneath the sheets, she glanced over at the futon across from hers, Tokaji's futon. It was late, close to midnight, and he still wasn't back.  
  
'Has he changed already?' she wondered. He seemed the same as before. He still ate like a pig, complained to his father, and made jokes that only she could laugh at. He appeared to be the same boy who saved her from slavery.  
  
'Come to think of it, though, I haven't seen him a lot to tell.' Hotaru realized. 'I wonder if his eyes are starting to turn colors like Himura- san's.'  
  
She sat up to see out the window. Autumn was fast ending and she could see the frost building up on the rooftops of nearby buildings. Somewhere out there, a shogun warrior was meeting his fate at the hands of her friends.  
  
'Or maybe the other way around.' Hotaru thought. She remembered how badly injured Tokaji had been just days before. He would bear that huge scar for the rest of his life.  
  
Her heart pounded fiercely. Sleep just wasn't going to come now. Unconsciously, she rose to her feet, tiptoed across the room, and found her new outfit: a light blue and white kimono. Okami-san made it for her as payment for all her help.  
  
Once she was dressed, she found a dark blue shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders. Then, quiet as a mouse, she ducked out of the bedroom, scurried down the long halls, past the occupied rooms, down the stairs, down another hall, and to the door. Taking one last wary look around, she slid open the door and crept out into the night. She had made it. Now she would look for Tokaji.  
  
A wave of excitement rippled through her as she ran through the streets. It was the type of giddiness a child possessed when she knew what she was doing was strictly taboo. 'I must be the only girl out here tonight!' she realized.  
  
On and on she ran, past the market, the restaurant, and the other inn. Still, all was quiet. But that in itself was out of place. It was an eerie silence. Soon, Hotaru's excitement died away to nervousness.  
  
'Tokaji-san! Where are you? Where did you go?'  
  
The full moon shined brightly upon Kyoto that night. This made it even more nerve-wracking.  
  
Finally, Hotaru grew tired. She found a stoop and took a seat. It felt good to just sit and rest. For a moment, her heart stopped racing.  
  
'That's right, stay calm.' She told herself. 'I won't be able to find anyone if I'm riled up.'  
  
Just then, there was a loud sound.  
  
V-VASH! "AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHH!!!"  
  
Jumping to her feet, Hotaru zipped around the bend, across the road, and into a nearby alleyway. That was where the noise had come from. The young girl cleared the alley and was greeted by a flash of moonlight that lit up her surroundings. This allowed her to see and to gasp in horror.  
  
With one last groan, a man in blue gi tumbled to the ground, blood in his wake. Hotaru felt sick. Never before had she seen that much blood.  
  
"I'm sorry," came a soft, but low voice. Hotaru, despite her dwindling senses, knew that voice. It cleared her mind for an instant, only to make it hazy all over again.  
  
Tokaji stood there over the dead Shogun. Silhouetted against the moon, he seemed frozen there, his sword still in stance form and dripping with blood. But Hotaru didn't notice this. It was his eyes. They weren't amber, but they were a strange icy blue, completely unlike the deep, ocean-blue orbs he once had.  
  
His head snapped up, taking in the sight of her. Now he was shocked. "H- Hotaru?"  
  
'Okami-san,' she thought. 'He's the same as Himura-san.'  
  
His eyes melted of the deadly ice, he strode over to her. "Hotaru-chan."  
  
That did it. Bursting into tears, she threw her arms around his legs. "Tokaji-san!"  
  
On that night, she made a decision that would change her life forever.  
  
"I'm not going to let Tokaji-san OR Himura-san suffer alone anymore." 


	8. Chapter 7 Stick Sword

CHAPTER 7- STICK SWORD  
  
"Hotaru-chan, it's going to be a lovely day!" Okami-san declared to Hotaru a few days later. "Why not go outside today?"  
  
Hotaru jolted, shocked at the suggestion. "You mean, to the country?"  
  
"Sure! Take old Sora with you! She must want to get out on some good grass!"  
  
In her excitement, Hotaru practically jumped into her arms. "YAY! Arigato! Arigato gozaimasu!" Now was her chance!  
  
A twenty minute ride found Sora grazing under the sakura trees and Hotaru looking for a good stick.  
  
"AH! Perfect!" She found an ideal tree limb and picked it up. "It looks like the right size and shape! I have my sword!"  
  
Okay, so it was a start.  
  
Holding the branch in both hands, she closed her eyes. "Now, if I could only remember how Kazuki did this!"  
  
Kazuki was one of the slaves she had lived with back in her childhood. Sold because he was an orphan with no other place to go, he still had a lot to show off. One of his many talents was swordsmanship. And he was very good at it. Hotaru recalled how during their brief times off, he would practice his forms. At one point, he even cut down a massive tree with just one stroke.  
  
Slowly, images of his forms came back to her. Carefully, studiously, she began to mimic them, bending her legs and holding the stick directly in front of her. It felt awkward at first, but she kept at it. Soon, she was taking her stances and striking as if it were natural.  
  
All day long she practiced while Sora grazed. Then, by the time dinner came to everyone's mind, she was back home to help.  
  
She repeated this procedure for days. She was having dreams of sword forms! She rehearsed them in her mind while at the inn. She took the spare time in between to learn how to sew. She borrowed some blue and gray fabric and made her first gi and hakama. Now, when she left for the country, she'd carry it in a package to hide it from Okami-san and the others.  
  
Hour after hour, in the seclusion of the sakura grove, she would practice. She swung, stabbed, stroked, stumbled, and fell, but picked herself back up and repeated the process.  
  
Then one day, her secret was discovered. 


	9. Chapter 8 Gempachi

CHAPTER 8- GEMPACHI  
  
"You look like you need some help, young one."  
  
Hotaru's face paled. Someone had found her there, struggling to master her forms. 'Oh no! So much for the seclusion of the sakura grove!'  
  
A young man approached from the distant dirt road, giving Sora a cheerful pat as he passed her by. He was tall and handsome, wearing a light green gi and a white hakama. A long, handsome katana was sheathed and tied to his waist. He had long, black hair tied in a bushy ponytail. His eyes were greenish blue, telling Hotaru that of intelligence, but kindness as well.  
  
Still, she backed up shyly, clutching the branch with shaky hands. "Um.I.uh."  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you." He told her. His voice was calm and gentle, like Tokaji's. "My name's Gempachi."  
  
She bowed slightly. "I'm Hotaru."  
  
"Well Hotaru, that's quite a sword you have there." He was referring to her stick of course.  
  
Hotaru laughed, a little embarrassed now. "Well, it was the best I could do, I guess."  
  
"What are you doing out here all by yourself anyway?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I live in the city." She told him. "But my family let me out here for a while since the weather's been so nice."  
  
"Yes, the weather is strangely warm for this time of year." He mused, glancing up at the sky. Then, he turned his attention back to the little girl. "Well, I've got no place to go today. How about I help you out?"  
  
"Really? That'd be great!" Hotaru was thrilled. She was going to take lessons from a real swordsman!  
  
"We'll help too!"  
  
"Yeah! Count me in too!"  
  
Out from the bushes scurried four children!  
  
Hotaru gasped. Where were they all coming from?  
  
Gempachi chuckled. "I knew you guys would come."  
  
Hotaru was introduced to the two girls, Machi and Tsukino and the two boys, Raizu and Keisuke. They gathered around to watch as Hotaru and Gempachi faced each other.  
  
"Raizu-kun," Gempachi called. "Let Hotaru borrow your shinai."  
  
"Hai, okay!" The short little boy scampered over and presented the girl with a bamboo sword.  
  
Hotaru beamed. "Wow! This is a shinai?"  
  
Gempachi laughed. "Wow, you must really be a rookie, eh? That's not a problem though. When we're done today, you'll have the basics down. Then it'll be up to you to polish them on your own."  
  
And so, the training began. The children screamed and laughed with delight as the young man and his "student" clashed and fought.  
  
THOK! His shinai, which he borrowed from Keisuke, lanced towards her. Gasping in alarm, Hotaru jumped. The end of the bamboo sword plowed into the ground.  
  
'He's strong!' Hotaru thought. 'But after years of slaving and Okami-san's chores, so am I!' She landed, leaned forward, and rocketed forward, aiming to strike him under the arm. She knew that the ribs would be vulnerable.  
  
But no, he ducked away, spun around on one foot and swung. "HAH!"  
  
THAK! Hotaru was hit behind the head! "OW!" Now she was fired up!  
  
She whipped around again, but he was gone. "Huh? Where did he go?"  
  
The children shouted to her. "To the right! The right!"  
  
"WHAT??" She zipped around, blindly striking with the blade. But Gempachi blocked it.  
  
"Too slow." He said, before twisting the shinai out of her hand.  
  
"OW!" Hotaru reached for it and resumed her stance. "Geez, you're not gonna be easy on me!"  
  
"He wasn't to us either!" Tsukino declared.  
  
"Yeah, and he's MY brother!" Keisuke added.  
  
For the rest of the day, well into the night, they trained. Hotaru galloped Sora home as fast as she could, only to get a scolding from Okami-san for being out so late.  
  
But that wasn't the end of the training session. For days after that, since the weather still warmed, Hotaru returned to train. And Gempachi was always there. He and the other kids were always there. Hotaru felt her strength and skills growing by the hour. She felt as though she was truly becoming a swordsman (alter the man part of swordsman, though).  
  
On one of those afternoons, Hotaru flopped down in the grass for a break. "Ah! This is the life!"  
  
Gempachi nodded. "I agree! I wish all days could be like this!"  
  
Little Machi gazed up at the clouds. "Hotaru-san? How come you want to be a sword fighter?"  
  
Hotaru winced. She was having so much fun that she had forgotten her true intentions. "Well, I want to help my family." She answered. "Times are tough in the city and people have gotten hurt. I want to help protect more than anything,"  
  
Gempachi smiled. "You're a brave one, that's for sure."  
  
The children noisily agreed.  
  
Hotaru sighed. She didn't want this peace to end. She wanted to remain here beneath the sakura trees with her new friends. But in the back of her mind, she knew her duty. Once again, it was time for her to leave.  
  
Gempachi walked her over to Sora. "Well, I guess this is goodbye." He told her. "I leave tonight."  
  
Hotaru nodded. "Okay. Thanks for helping me out, Gempachi-san. I won't ever forget you!"  
  
He gave her a quick hug, a move that made her blush bright red.  
  
"Good luck." He said. "Protect your loved ones."  
  
"I will!" she declared, turning Sora around and riding for home. "That's a promise!" 


	10. Chapter 9 Kyoto Battle

CHAPTER 9- KYOTO BATTLE  
  
Not long after Hotaru completed her secret training with Gempachi, the cold returned. The entire inn was restless. Himura and Tokaji remained in at night, but were still dark-eyed and wary. Soon, Hotaru found out why.  
  
"There's going to be a battle?" she gasped.  
  
Okami-san placed a finger to her lips. "Hush! We're not supposed to know that!"  
  
'It's just been assassinations at this point.' Hotaru thought. 'Now it's an all-out battle?' She frowned to herself, burning with resolve. 'I'll be ready!'  
  
And, within another two days, all hell broke loose.  
  
The battlefield: the inner streets of Kyoto. The fighters: The Shogun warriors against the Ishin Shishi. The time: night.  
  
Tokaji and Himura had left the inn and were fighting somewhere in the streets. Meanwhile Okami-san and Hotaru remained, staying in the kitchen. Check that: Okami-san stayed in the kitchen. Hotaru was watching from a bedroom window.  
  
'All I can see are flashes of light,' she thought. 'Could be explosions or fires of some kind.'  
  
"Hotaru-chan! Come back in here as soon as you can!"  
  
Okami-san sounded anxious.  
  
But determination flashed through Hotaru's eyes. Now was the time.  
  
'Protect your loved ones!' Gempachi had told her.  
  
Without a word, she ran to put on her hakama. She'd sneak out the back door.  
  
............  
  
CLASH! VASH! Tokaji raced through the crowds, slashing at every enemy in front of him.  
  
"There's so many!" he muttered to himself. "Where do they all come from?"  
  
Nearby, a circle of Shogun surrounded Himura.  
  
"Give it up!" one ordered, pointing his wakizashi menacingly at the redhead. "You don't have a chance against 10 of us!"  
  
Himura didn't budge. His eyes only darkened. Apparently they didn't realize that Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu put one against many.  
  
But Tokaji knew this and kept on going. Himura wouldn't need his help. This became apparent in the series of death shrieks that followed.  
  
A freezing rain poured down from the gray night skies. That and the blood created a gruesome slick surface on the streets and wherever the fluids were spilled.  
  
Meanwhile, Hotaru raced through town. She could hear the sounds of battle coming up ever closer. That was when she realized that she had no sword! She would have to find one.  
  
Elsewhere, Tokaji ran through an alley, looking for the enemy. Things were going well so far. The Imperialists and Loyalists seemed evenly matched for the moment and the Ishin Shishi was beginning to push back the Shogun warriors. Perhaps it would only be a matter of time.  
  
Suddenly, something sharp cut into him from the side, driving him hard into the wall. "AUGH!" Fury surged through him. Who had ambushed him?  
  
A tall, youthful figure emerged from the shadows, sword poised to kill. His green-blue eyes glowered under his long black hair.  
  
Tokaji staggered to his feet, responding in silence to the challenge. He had his opponent.  
  
.........  
  
"There!" Hotaru saw an abandoned sword lying just beneath one of the market tables. She dove to catch it, her gi flapping in the rain. Her hand grasped the hilt and pulled it towards her. It was a katana, heavier than what she was used to with a shinai. However, this was just what she needed.  
  
"Now to find Tokaji-san!" She resumed running.  
  
Everything was changing as she plunged deeper and deeper into the city. At first, there were only a few fights breaking out. But now, she had to duck and dodge just to get through the street. It was pure chaos!  
  
'So this is what a real battle is like.' she thought.  
  
Just then, she saw something out of the corner of her eye, a flash of red. But it wasn't blood. It was someone's gi, a gi she knew. "Tokaji-san!" Whirling around, she raced after him. "Tokaji-san!"  
  
He was in trouble! She could tell by the way he stumbled in stride and faltered under the blows of his opponent. He was bleeding all over! It looked as though the scar across his chest had been reopened!  
  
Blindly she charged faster than ever before. Never could she run so fast. Her eyes narrowed. She swung her new katana, ready to strike. The Shogun warrior had his back to her. Perfect.  
  
'Use your momentum to add strength to the blow.' She said to herself. 'Twist your body with the strike!'  
  
Tokaji, despite his situation, saw her coming. "H-Hotaru!"  
  
The Shogun paused. "Hotaru?"  
  
It was too late. "HYAAAAAH!!" Hotaru threw herself forward, swinging as hard as she could.  
  
VVVVVVAAAAAAAASSSSSSHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Her eyes were squeezed shut, but she felt something warm spray her. 'Blood?'  
  
"Ho.t-ta.ru."  
  
'Wait, I know that voice!' Her eyes shot open just as the Shogun fell. That ponytail, that voice! She knew this man! "GEMPACHI!!!"  
  
Tokaji fell back in shock as the little girl scurried forward and turned the rival over. What was she doing?  
  
Hotaru's voice trembled. "G-Gempachi?"  
  
He opened his eyes, but they were glazed over. It was then that he smiled slightly. "So this.is what you meant.by protecting.your family." He broke off coughing. Blood ran out of his mouth and mingled with the pool that grew beneath his slashed body.  
  
"I'm.I'm sorry I."  
  
He shook his head. "Don't be.This.is the way.a warrior.dies." With that, he fell limp.  
  
"Hotaru-chan." Tokaji murmured.  
  
Crying hysterically, Hotaru hugged Gempachi's body. "No.NOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
The battle ended within the hour.  
  
Himura learned of what had happened the moment he returned to the inn. Hotaru had come charging into the battlefield and killed a Shogun.  
  
Okami-san was crying at the news. "I can't believe this." She sobbed. "She's just a little girl!"  
  
In their room, Tokaji held the sobbing Hotaru in his arms. They both knew that she was cursed to killing now.  
  
Himura closed his eyes and sighed. "In one stroke of the blade, a child has bloodied her hands with death. And now, she is one of us."  
  
And so, as fall changed to winter and rain turned to snow, another Ishin Shishi assassin was born. Her name: Hitokiri Hotaru. 


	11. Chapter 10 White Plums

A/N- Okay, I know this is awful long of a Bakumatsu compared to reality and the Ruroken OVA. But bear with me, okay? It's fanFICTION after all.  
  
CHAPTER 10- WHITE PLUMS  
  
A year passed. Winter set its cold shadow upon Kyoto once again. Red rain froze into red slush and ice as the killings continued.  
  
Himura, Tokaji, and Hotaru had become living legends. Himura was the redheaded prodigy of Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu, and he had yet to turn 16. Tokaji was the son of a powerful clan leader in the Ishin Shishi. But Hotaru was the most famous of all.  
  
Only two inches taller than when she first killed, she was a seemingly innocent child with killing hands. Like her comrades, her eyes gleamed devilishly, as if always full of rage and pain. She too had changed.  
  
No longer did she do chores or spend time in the sakura grove outside the city. Her life had been confined to the inn by day and the bloody streets by night. During the day, she only ate and slept, preparing for the killings at night. This was her fixed routine, as it was for Himura and Tokaji.  
  
Okami-san wasn't the only one who showed concern. Both Kogoro and Idzuka noticed the change.  
  
Kogoro sighed, his expression troubled. "If not for their success, I'd say this was the biggest mistake I've ever made."  
  
"What a shame." Idzuka agreed. "All three of them are only children after all."  
  
Then, one night, Himura was assigned to an assassination. Hotaru and Tokaji remained in their rooms, leaning sleeplessly against their walls. Whenever a comrade was absent, the others did not sleep. It was subtle, yet there was a sense of siblinghood between the three assassins.  
  
Hotaru sat in silence, gazing at the sword in her lap. After that first kill, Kogoro had given this katana, and a wakizashi to her.  
  
'A year today.' she thought. 'It's been a year since I swore to suffer with Tokaji and Himura.'  
  
Just then, her heightened senses heard the downstairs door slide open. Then, there were light, tentative steps, as if the person entering was tiptoeing. Himura didn't tiptoe!  
  
Grasping her sword, she sprinted out of her room, down the stairs, and around the bend. It was there she came face-to-face with---  
  
"Himura!"  
  
Himura looked like he was about to have a heart attack. "Hotaru?"  
  
In his arms, was a woman!  
  
Hotaru gasped. As she did, a strange, almost over-powering smell overtook her senses. 'Is that.white plum?'  
  
The woman was young, perhaps a little older than Himura. Her face was pale and her white kimono was covered with blood. But she wasn't dead or injured, something the trained shoujo picked up on right away. She'd fainted.  
  
But by the next morning this mysterious newcomer was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast with Okami-san. It turned out that her name was Yukishiro Tomoe and she was at the inn to stay. 


	12. Chapter 11 Tomoe and Hotaru

CHAPTER 11- TOMOE AND HOTARU  
  
"Hotaru-san."  
  
"Hm?"  
  
Hotaru opened her eyes to find a young woman with long black hair and black eyes standing in her bedroom doorway. After a moment, Hotaru recognized her. "Tomoe-san."  
  
"I'm sorry for disturbing you," Tomoe said. "But Okami-san requested I clean this room."  
  
Hotaru put on a small smile. "I suppose it is overdue." She rose to her feet and headed to the door. Tomoe walked further into the room, silently assessing her surroundings. The room was covered with weeks worth of dust. It was hard to decide where to begin.  
  
A bit of guilt took hold of the brown-haired girl. She stopped at the door and turned back around. "Tomoe-san, I'll help you."  
  
The older girl paused, surprised by the suggestion. Then, she nodded. "All right."  
  
And so, while Hotaru swept the floor, Tomoe picked up the books.  
  
"Himura has many books in his room as well." Tomoe noted softly. "But he told me that he doesn't read them."  
  
"He uses them as a pillow." Hotaru explained quietly. "I've tried myself to do the same, but it's uncomfortable for me."  
  
They were silent for a moment. It was strange, but Hotaru felt at ease in this stranger's presence. Perhaps it was because they were the same in some ways. They both were quiet and serious. And maybe, just maybe, that was because of their own pasts. Perhaps they'd both had their fair share of misery.  
  
"Why do you live as a Hitokiri?" Tomoe finally questioned. She had finished with the books and was now dusting.  
  
Hotaru wasn't expecting to be asked that. Still, she sighed. "To help."  
  
"To help?" Tomoe turned and faced her.  
  
"I don't understand this war," Hotaru told her. "I don't know what exactly what it will accomplish or what ideals will be achieved. I was never taught what would happen." She frowned. "And honestly, that doesn't matter to me. But Himura fights to create a new era of peace. Tokaji fights to protect and preserve what is already peaceful. Everyone has their own reason to fight. I fight for their own ideals. Those people ARE my ideals."  
  
Tomoe was clearly surprised. "You are a very noble child."  
  
Time passed and the amount of black envelopes being passed around shrank. Himura was given these few jobs for the most part and Tokaji went with him on occasion. But Hotaru continued a peaceful existence at the inn for quite a while. So, she decided to make use of it. To Okami-san's delight, she began to help out around the place. It was as if she was an innocent, scrawny child again.  
  
She and Tomoe became friends, though their relationship was quiet and subtle.  
  
"She's a cultured, refined young woman!" Okami-san commented. "You could learn a lot from her!" Hotaru knew the old woman wanted for her to give up her night killings. She wanted her to live a normal life and be happy.  
  
'But it's not that simple.' Hotaru would say to herself. 'As much as I want it for myself, I swore to help Tokaji and the others. I have to kill to do that.'  
  
One day found Himura, Tokaji, Hotaru, and Tomoe sitting in one room. Himura was dozing against the windowsill; his head drooped, his sword leaning on one shoulder. Tokaji was gobbling down a rice ball. Nothing could tune down his appetite. Hotaru, however, was holding some fabric in her hand and watching Tomoe sew.  
  
"You just keep putting the point on through?" she asked. "Nothing else?"  
  
"For now, yes." Came the answer.  
  
"What made you decide to take on sewing, Hotaru?" Tokaji asked.  
  
She smiled slightly. "I wanted a new hobby. My 'other' job has been slow. Aside from chores, I have nothing else to do."  
  
"You could go out." Tokaji suggested. "You used to go out to the country all the time."  
  
Ouch, that hurt. Ever since Gempachi's death, Hotaru never went back to the sakura grove. She couldn't face those children. They had loved their leader so much.  
  
Hotaru shook her head and resumed her sewing. "I'd rather not."  
  
Tomoe watched her silently. 


	13. Chapter 12 Shinsengumi

CHAPTER 12- SHINSENGUMI  
  
The time of peace came to a crashing halt soon enough. One cold night in November, Hotaru was returning from a restaurant within the inner city. To avoid raising suspicion, she wore a rose gray kimono with a matching shawl. Her hair, infamous for its long, flowing ponytail, was kept in a bun. In this guise, she resembled a harmless girl. Perfect it was, for a little spying.  
  
On this night, there was a parade of sorts taking place on the main road. Curious to see, Hotaru strode into the crowds of onlookers and peered out. What she saw raised an eyebrow under her bangs.  
  
They were warriors unlike anything she'd ever seen. Dressed in blue and white garments, with white headbands tied around their heads, they marched along. Polished swords, katana and wakizashi alike, hung at their waists. They looked formidable.  
  
A rough hand fell upon her shoulder. It was Tokaji, wearing a hat to hide his face from the crowds. But she could see the icy glow in his eyes.  
  
"Who are they?" Hotaru hissed.  
  
"They call themselves the Shinsengumi." He told her. "They were hired by the government. Think of them as a police force."  
  
"A new threat." Hotaru murmured. The Shogun warriors were no longer their only true concern.  
  
Looking past the parade and to the other side of the street, Hotaru noticed a shadow standing amongst the other onlookers. Looking a little harder, she recognized Himura, wearing a hat of his own. They exchanged quick glances before they were lost in the throng.  
  
Meanwhile, a young man marching noticed the girl in the rose gray kimono.  
  
Saitoh Hajime glanced down at him. "What is it?"  
  
Okita turned back around and shrugged. "I don't know. There was something about that girl back there."  
  
With the Shinsengumi's arrival, the bloody streets became even bloodier. The declining shogun force had found its alliance in these skilled swordsmen. Now the Ishin Shishi was beginning to experience problems.  
  
At one meeting at the inn, Tokaji angrily hit the wall with his fist. "That's the third time those Shinsen bastards have spoiled my assignment!"  
  
"Their numbers have grown dramatically over the last few days." Idzuka reported.  
  
Hotaru thought about her last assignment just the previous day. She had cornered two Shogun warriors in a dark alleyway, an infamous strategy of hers. They were already wounded and bleeding from pursuit and she was ready to finish them. But just then, she heard a swish of a striking sword. It was lancing out at her from behind. When she was able to block and turn around, she came face-to-face with a white headband. It was a soldier of the Shinsengumi.  
  
Back in the present, Hotaru shivered. She had just barely escaped that skirmish. And the situation was the same for Himura and Tokaji too.  
  
Kogoro scowled. "They know who and where we plan to strike. Someone is telling them."  
  
A hush fell upon the group. Who would leak out such information?  
  
...........  
  
Much later on that day, Kogoro called the three assassins, as well as Tomoe out to the stable.  
  
"Times are more chaotic than before." He told them. "Now's not the time for you all to be here. I've made arrangements for all four of you to take up residence in the country."  
  
A wave of shock washed over the small gathering.  
  
"Himura and Tomoe, people won't suspect a young married couple out there. I've arranged a small herbal farm to be your residence."  
  
Immediately, Himura blushed bright red. He was going to live with Tomoe? Hotaru wondered how Tomoe was taking it. She couldn't read her blank expression.  
  
Kogoro placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Tokaji, you have a similar arrangement. Hotaru will play the part of your younger sister."  
  
"Uh.all right then." Tokaji responded.  
  
"Live peacefully." He said with finality. "When the time comes, we will let you know. Take care now."  
  
And so, the four prepared to leave. Tomoe and Kenshin were headed to Otsu. Tokaji and Hotaru, however, were headed to the northern Kyoto countryside, to a small village surrounded by forest and mountains.  
  
Hotaru held out her hand to Tomoe. "I'm glad to have met you, Tomoe-san. Thank you for all that you've taught me."  
  
That's when Tomoe put on a faint smile, the first the child had ever seen. "Yes, good luck to you."  
  
Himura smiled a little too as he gave Hotaru a pat on the head. "May we meet again some day."  
  
She nodded. "Yes,"  
  
She and Tokaji stood alone as Himura and Tomoe walked off together.  
  
Hotaru chuckled a little. "I think they'll be happy together."  
  
Tokaji nodded. "Well, there was a special reason Okami-san let that girl stay with him in the first place." He lowered his hand and ruffled the girl's hair. "Shall we get going?"  
  
It was time for them to begin a life of their own.  
  
Hotaru smiled. "Right, Niisan." 


	14. Chapter 13 Faraway

CHAPTER 13- FARAWAY  
  
Tokaji hummed to himself as he wrote a letter. He chuckled when he found how hard it was to write. 'Oy, Tokaji, you haven't written in so long, you're rusty." Still, he bit his lower lip in determination and began.  
  
'Dear Okaasan,  
  
It's been three months since Pa sent Hotaru and me out here to the country. It went well, thank goodness. The people didn't suspect a peasant boy and his little sister. We didn't even have to make up a story.'  
  
He paused at the noise of laughter outside. Rising up partway, he peered out the rice window.  
  
There was Hotaru, tall and elegant, as she tossed a ball back and forth to a little girl and boy. There were children all around her.  
  
Tokaji smiled and kept writing.  
  
'Hotaru's doing great. Pa and the others thought she would stay small and skinny forever, but she grew. I thought she was only about 10, maybe 12 at the most, but she's actually 15! People will start labeling us as a couple rather than siblings!  
  
She's so happy nowadays. Her eyes aren't even icy anymore. She's the same kid I found over a year ago.'  
  
"TOKAJI-SAN!"  
  
"TOKAJI-NII!"  
  
Hotaru and the kids were calling. Tokaji knew that his quiet time was up. Sighing, he vowed to finish the letter to his mother later.  
  
Hotaru beamed when her "big brother" came out to join them in the frosty noon air. "Yay! Now we can go fishing!"  
  
Tokaji quirked an eyebrow. "Fishing? In this weather?"  
  
Little Yuuji nodded. "Yeah! There's lots of fish in the creek! Come on!"  
  
They all pulled Tokaji away.  
  
Being February, snow still dotted the grounds. It made for some good snowball fighting, an activity that the children engaged in every chance they got.  
  
Hotaru watched as three of the boys ganged up and began pelting Tokaji and the girls with snowballs. The little girls screamed and cowered behind the young man, causing him to take the brunt of it. Still, he laughed through the while thing.  
  
'This is the way it's supposed to be,' Hotaru thought. 'This feeling, these children, this place.I want to stay like this forever.'  
  
PLOOSH!! Someone hit HER! "Agh! Who did that?"  
  
They pointed at Tokaji, who was poised to throw another one. That did it. With a loud battle cry, Hotaru gave chase. "I'M GONNA GET YOU NIIIIIIIISAAAAAN!!!!"  
  
Tokaji screamed. "NO! DON'T HURT ME! I'M SO DELICATE!"  
  
"I thought we were gonna go fishing!" Yuuji pouted.  
  
POOM!! Hotaru caught up with Tokaji and pounced, tackling him into the ground. But she held him there. "Say it! Say uncle!"  
  
"Damn, you're strong! Uncle! Uncle!" he yelped.  
  
She sat back and began to laugh. "HAH, HAH, HAH! You underestimate me, 'Niisan'."  
  
He sat up and brushed to snow of his hakama. "Yeah, no kidding."  
  
Hotaru took in his gaze with a sense of wonder. They were ocean blue again. No longer did they hold the ice of guilt and anger. And she was certain hers didn't either. 


	15. Chapter 14 Spring Visit

CHAPTER 14- SPRING VISIT  
  
Spring was finally coming to the Kyoto countryside. It was on one of these warming days that brought some unexpected visitors to Tokaji and Hotaru's door.  
  
KNOCK, KNOCK!  
  
Hotaru paused in her cooking, threw off her apron, and dashed for the door. "Coming!" It was probably the kids again. They came around this time anyway.  
  
But no, it was Himura and Tomoe!  
  
Hotaru's mouth dropped open at the sight of them. "Himura! Tomoe-san! Oh my!"  
  
Himura smiled cheerfully, something so odd for the deadly Hitokiri she once knew. "Good day, Hotaru! It's been a long time!"  
  
"You look well." Tomoe complimented softly.  
  
And so, Hotaru welcomed them inside and had them sit down. "Just a moment! I'll make tea!"  
  
In the kitchen, she was giddy with delight. She hadn't seen the couple since their departure in Kyoto! It was great to see some old friends again!  
  
In under a minute, she had the tea ready and zipped back out to the parlor where they waited. Kneeling, she served them before taking a cup for herself.  
  
"So where is Tokaji on this day?" Himura asked.  
  
"He went to the market this morning," Hotaru replied with a smile. "He should be back around now though."  
  
"Hotaru, that is a lovely kimono." Tomoe complimented. "Did you make it?"  
  
Hotaru blushed. "No, not this one. Tokaji bought it for me actually."  
  
It was her favorite kimono of all for that reason.  
  
"HOTARU! I'M HOME!" Came a voice outdoors.  
  
The shoji slid open and in came Tokaji. His eyes widened at the sight of unexpected company, but soon, the shock was replaced with glee. "Ah! It's the Himuras!"  
  
'Oh that's right,' Hotaru thought. 'Himura and Tomoe are married! I wonder what it's like for them.' Back in Kyoto, they certainly didn't seem to mind each other. But did they love each other?'  
  
Her thoughts were interrupted by Tokaji's holding something out to her. "Here," he said cheerfully. "She was finally old enough to leave her ma."  
  
It was a kitten! A beautiful tortoiseshell with blue-green eyes and a cream blotch over one eye. And as soon as she wriggled her way into Hotaru's arms, she began to purr.  
  
Hotaru was astounded. "How did you know?"  
  
Tokaji blushed. This exchange wasn't supposed to have occurred in front of guests. "Well, you seemed to like little Arisu's cat so much, it just kind of worked out."  
  
"Thank you! Thank you so much!" Hotaru hugged the little creature close. "I will name her.Ami!"  
  
That evening found Tomoe and Hotaru sitting outside, taking turns holding little Ami. However, Himura and Tokaji talked quietly in the parlor.  
  
Himura smiled. "Hotaru has truly blossomed in these few months. I didn't know she was already 15."  
  
Tokaji nodded. "Yes, it was a shock for me too. She'll be coming of age before we know it."  
  
His voice seemed to trail off as he said that. Himura nodded to himself. His own suspicions appeared correct. But then, his smile faded. "Anyway, there's another reason we came to see you."  
  
Tokaji nodded again, but his expression had darkened. "I figured. What does my pa want now?"  
  
Meanwhile, Hotaru passed the kitten over to Tomoe. "So how's Himura doing? He looks pretty happy."  
  
Tomoe nodded. "Yes, he has changed a bit since leaving Kyoto. Back in Otsu, he's very popular with the children."  
  
"What about you? Are you doing okay?"  
  
The young woman of white plum perfume paused for a moment, as though thinking of the right answer. Then, she replied. "I get by."  
  
Hotaru didn't know what to think of Tomoe. She liked her, sure, but there was something about her. It was something almost cold and distant, something that was only expressed by her sad, pale face.  
  
'I was like that not long ago,' Hotaru thought. 'In fact, in the very back of my mind, I still am somewhat. But Tomoe-san's been like that all along.'  
  
She wondered if there was any kind of salvation for her friend. If there was, then Himura would be the one to save her.  
  
"Tomoe-san?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What is Himura's real name?"  
  
Silence. Then came the reply.  
  
"Kenshin. His name is Kenshin."  
  
'I will remember that name.' Hotaru swore. 'For when and if we meet again some day.'  
  
Himura and Tomoe departed that afternoon without much word. Now, Himura seemed much quieter than before, as though sad. Hotaru wondered why as she waved farewell, but didn't ask. Tokaji wore a similar expression. 


	16. Chapter 15 One Last Glance

CHAPTER 15- ONE LAST GLANCE  
  
The next night, Hotaru slid into her futon, clad in a warm yukata. Beside her head curled Ami, who was already asleep and purring. Hotaru loved her new kitten. She was sweet and full of life. She didn't have any reason to dislike her. She didn't know what her master once was.  
  
The young girl smiled, running a hand softly over the kitten's silky fur. "Animals forgive and love unconditionally. If only people were like that too." If that were the case, she could perhaps atone for her crimes as a Hitokiri. Perhaps if she were like Ami, she could even forgive herself. She wondered if Tokaji and Himura felt the same.  
  
While she dozed off in her own room, Tokaji sat up in his own futon, awake and dressed. Closing his eyes, he could sense Hotaru's ki drop. He knew she was asleep. Now it was time.  
  
Carefully, stealthily, he rose to his feet and hurried to his closet. There, after fumbling past rows of work hakama and gi, he found his daisho, dusty and gray. Ever since he came here to the countryside with Hotaru, there had been no need for the swords. Now, he would need them again.  
  
But he couldn't leave at that moment. No, not without saying goodbye. So, he left the daisho by the back shoji and headed down the hall, careful to keep his steps quiet. He wanted a goodbye without words.  
  
He hesitated outside her door, checking with all senses to make sure she was asleep. Then, he slid open the shoji and stepped inside. It was then that he laid eyes on her, his cherished Hotaru.  
  
She lay on her back, face tilted a little to the side. Eyes closed and her expression relaxed, her braid of brown hair lay across her shoulder and onto her chest.  
  
Tokaji smiled fondly. 'She's grown up so much. Himura was right.'  
  
He wished this wasn't how it would end. He didn't want to do this to her, not after seeing her so happy. But he had no choice.  
  
Closing his eyes and turning away, he proceeded out the door. "You'll always be in my heart, Hotaru-chan." He whispered. Then, he slid the shoji shut and left.  
  
The next morning, the peace was shattered by a scream.  
  
Hotaru stood in the kitchen, still in her yukata. Normally, Tokaji was awake long before she ever was, so when she came down and found him gone, she knew something was wrong. And when she saw that he'd taken his daisho and Sora, she knew where he had gone.  
  
Panic seized her. "No.it can't be time for that now! Why now? It's too soon to be going back there!"  
  
How could he have just left her there and expected her to wait? She wouldn't just sit back while he returned to Kyoto! She couldn't!  
  
Throwing on her hakama and strapping on her own daisho, she dashed for the barn. She'd take Kaze, their work mule, to Kyoto!  
  
The old mule had no clue what the child was doing by putting on a saddle and bridle, but didn't buck as she hopped on his back. He seemed to know that whatever the reason, it was urgent. So, after a moment of enduring her nudging and kicking, he trotted off, carrying her to the city.  
  
'Wait for me!' Hotaru cried. 'Wait for me, Tokaji!' 


	17. Chapter 16 Cornered

CHAPTER 16- CORNERED  
  
Tokaji shrunk back against the corner of the building, panting heavily. His raspy breath misted the dark morning air surrounding him and he wished feverishly that it would vaporize. He wanted to just disappear.  
  
He could hear them coming. They knew he had taken shelter in that little alleyway. The Shinsengumi had the keen senses of wolves.  
  
Worst of all, he was alone. Himura had failed to show up in the city. Unbeknownst to the young warrior, he was going after Tomoe, who had been taken captive.  
  
What's more: the Choshu clan was no more. In the twilight hours, Kogoro and his men had fallen to a band of Shinsengumi warriors. Now these warriors were after him, the last Imperialist in town.  
  
His heart beat faster as his ears picked up their voices. They were splitting up to search for him. This was almost a benefit; there would be less for him to face at one time. Still, he was beginning to panic. He was tired, cold, and his body was raked with injuries.  
  
'I don't know how long I can stand this.' He thought. But then, Hotaru's face appeared before him, smiling and bright. This seemed to renew his strength. "Hotaru...I'll keep going...I'll fight to return to you!"  
  
His eyes froze over. His warrior self had returned.  
  
"Look! There he is!"  
  
"Don't let him escape!"  
  
Three Shinsen warriors rounded the bend and raced towards him, drawing their swords. Tokaji gritted his teeth and rushed at them. "HYAAAAAH!!"  
  
CLACK! VASH! KTCH! KAK! They were fast, much faster than the Shogun warriors he was accustomed to. As seconds turned to minutes, they evaded every one of his blows.  
  
His heart beat faster. The demon hitokiri within was somehow relishing this and begging for more. His eyes blazed in blue fire. "HAAAAAAHHHH- YYYYAAAAAHHH!!" With one massively strong stroke, he sliced through the attacking blades and cut into the flesh of his attackers. They fell breathlessly around him, spattering blood up onto his hakama.  
  
V-VASH!  
  
But his moment of hesitation was ripped away with one side-strike. Tokaji felt a burning agony ripple up his chest, accompanied by the warmth of freshly released blood, his blood!  
  
"AUGH!" Someone had sliced him directly across the chest! Pain accompanied rage as he whirled to face the one responsible.  
  
Okita wore a rather childish smirk as he readied another blow. "You have taken three of my men and now I shall take you!"  
  
Tokaji frowned. "We'll see! HAH!" He began to fight again, but with every blow he struck, the pain of his wounded torso threatened to drop him. And Okita was talented. He was not going to let up. Neither would let up.  
  
Nearby, Saitoh and his own fleet watched. Normally, they would have swarmed upon this lone cub like rabid wolves, but Okita was a soldier of honor. It would stay one-on-one.  
  
'This boy is powerful despite his body's state.' Saitoh thought. 'He matches Okita's strides blow-for-blow. It is hard to tell which side will cave first.'  
  
But Okita cringed. The urge to cough burned his lungs. 'No! Not at a time like this!' He had to withdraw somehow, before the tuberculosis took hold of his body. He had to stop playing around and finish Tokaji quick.  
  
Without warning, he shot off to the side and lanced out, holding his sword firmly in a stabbing position.  
  
Tokaji gasped. It was too fast! He couldn't evade it! The sword would drive clean through him!  
  
'Pa...Himura...HOTARU!!!' 


	18. Chapter 17 Refuge

CHAPTER 17- REFUGE  
  
All of a sudden, there was Hotaru. She jumped in from out of nowhere, ducked under Tokaji, and swung up hard with her sword. "HAH!"  
  
KAK!!! The blow was so powerful, it nearly knocked the sword out of Okita's hands!  
  
His eyes shrunk up in astonishment. "What?"  
  
Saitoh and his men were also a little stunned. Where did this young woman in hakama come from?  
  
"Hotaru!" Tokaji gasped.  
  
Hotaru drew back her sword, turned it so the point of the blade faced her and shot forward. POW!  
  
"ACK!" Okita was just barely able to bring up his sword in time to block the enemy hilt. But the shock delayed his reaction as the newcomer girl whirled, grabbed Tokaji's hand, and jerked him away down the alley.  
  
"TOKAJI! RUN!"  
  
Saitoh brandished his sword. 'Now it is time to provide back-up!' "Get them!"  
  
Okita was still a little shaken. "Who was that girl?"  
  
Down the maze of backways and alleys dashed the two assassins, their breath leaving a steam trail.  
  
"Hotaru, why did you---  
  
She cut off his question. "Never mind that! We have to hide!"  
  
Tokaji relented, thought for a moment, then glanced around. They were entering his old territory, the part of the city that he executed most of his killings. So he knew pretty much everything about it, including temporary refuges.  
  
"Hotaru, there's an old building up ahead that no one lives in." He now took the lead, pulling her after him. "Come on!"  
  
They could sense their pursuers trailing them in the morning light.  
  
Tokaji inwardly cursed. He should have known she was going to follow him. Now he was running out of options by the second. But no, he couldn't think to tell her now, as they ran for their lives. First, they needed shelter, for at least a few minutes. They needed to get away from the Shinsengumi.  
  
True to Tokaji's word, there was indeed an abandoned lot on the far side of town. As the Shinsen warriors ran down the still-dark alleyways, Tokaji and Hotaru locked the door behind them in the attic.  
  
Tokaji fell back against the door, huffing and groaning. Hotaru saw the blood soaking from his torn gi and took a step closer. "Tokaji-san, are you?"  
  
WHAP! He slapped her gentle hand away, much to her shock.  
  
"Stupid!" he growled, eyes icy. "Stupid girl! You weren't supposed to come back!"  
  
"Tokaji-san..."  
  
The anger quickly washed away, but was replaced with anguish. "Hotaru, you were so happy there. I didn't want you to come back and throw that all away."  
  
Now it was her turn to show anger. "Tokaji-san, it wasn't the fresh air, or the sakura trees, or the children, or Ami who brought me happiness! It was you."  
  
There was silence as he took in her words. By now, her eyes were filling up with tears.  
  
"You were the first person who ever treated me like a human! You bought my freedom and gave me a life worth living! You hear me? YOU gave me something to live for!" She lowered her head and began to cry. His harsh words, as well as her own weighed down on her heart. "I couldn't be happy if you were gone! I want to be with you, Tokaji-san! No matter if it's here, there, or anywhere else!"  
  
"Hotaru..."  
  
"Please...let's leave here..." she whispered. "You were happy too, weren't you? Let's get out of here and go home."  
  
A gentle hand reached out and cupped her chin. Hotaru's eyes rose to meet his eyes. They were now ocean blue.  
  
He smiled. "Hotaru...you are no longer a child. I see that now."  
  
She gazed up at him questioningly, but before any more words could be exchanged, he was kissing her.  
  
It wasn't a peck, but it wasn't heavy. It was a soft, loving gesture that made Hotaru's heart pound. What was this feeling? What was he doing? Still, despite her confusion, she didn't pull away.  
  
Meanwhile, the Shinsengumi swarmed the abandoned building.  
  
Saitoh smirked. "They're in there all right. I can smell them."  
  
Finally, Tokaji pulled away. "That was the first step, Hotaru."  
  
She was dumbstruck. "To-Tokaji?"  
  
CRASH! Downstairs, the door was smashed open by the eager wolves of the Shinsengumi.  
  
Tokaji rose to his feet but continued to smile down at her. "When we meet again, we shall continue from there."  
  
Before she could say, do, or think anything more, something hard hit her behind the head. Wind jarred from her body, she began to fall. The last thing she felt before darkness took hold was his arms catching her.  
  
Tokaji held her unconscious form in his arms for a little longer. But the drumming of enemy footsteps told him to hurry. He would have to lead them all away from her before he could fight. He had to save her no matter what.  
  
Placing her down on the ground and covering her with a nearby blanket, he headed for the door. "We will meet again. I promise." With that, he was gone. And when Hotaru woke up hours later, she was all alone.  
  
Sitting up, she glanced around the room. "Huh? Tokaji?"  
  
Silence.  
  
Hazy images of memory wisped into her mind. 'He kissed me...and told me that we would meet again...'  
  
Just then, she was on her feet, running down the dusty stairs, darting past the dead warriors, and running outside. "TOKAJI!!"  
  
It was sleeting, creating gray and red puddles of slush all over the roads and around buildings. A cold wind chilled the young girl down to the bones as she began to run again. She ran blindly through the city, calling and calling. She stumbled over food stands and dead bodies alike, searching, hoping, praying.  
  
'Where are you? Where did you go?'  
  
At long last, her strength faded away. Collapsing in a puddle of melted water, she looked up hopelessly at the skies. He was gone.  
  
"TOOOOOKAAAAAAJIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" 


	19. Chapter 18 Empty Graves

CHAPTER 18- EMPTY GRAVES  
  
It has been almost 10 years since Hotaru's last battles in the Bakumatsu era. A young woman now, she lives quietly in the countryside where only the children and animals tend to her loneliness  
  
The quiet of one morning was shattered by the excited shouts of racing children.  
  
"HOTARU! COME OUT HOTARU!!"  
  
"WHERE ARE YOU, NEECHAN??"  
  
The pack of kimono-wearing children rushed up the small incline to the house and pretty much smashed open the front door. "HOTARU!!"  
  
There she sat, in the quiet solitude of her parlor, a well-grown Ami purring at her side and cloth and needle in hand. But the sudden entry of those kids caused her to prick her finger with shock. "Ack! Um, hello children. What's the matter?"  
  
Normally, they didn't come until after lunch and would pull her out to play until the sun set. It was a daily routine that had gone on for years.  
  
Little Hideaki finished catching his breath. "Nee-tan! You have a vititor!"  
  
"A visitor?"  
  
Akino continued on. "Yes, in the city. My father said he asked for you."  
  
This caught the young woman's interest. "Oh? What did he look like?"  
  
"He's got red hair!" Seinosuke declared.  
  
"Yeah! And a cross-scar!" Machi added.  
  
"A cross-scar and red hair?" Just then, it registered in Hotaru's memory. She smiled a huge smile. "Himura...!"  
  
............................  
  
A short time later, Hotaru pulled up her colt Tori within the familiar surroundings of Kyoto. For a moment, she stopped to wipe the sweat from her brow. "Tori-kun, you are such a handful." Perhaps Sora, his mother, had been like that as a filly. No matter though.  
  
Sliding down from the saddle and tying the horse to a post, she proceeded down the road. The spring breeze awakened senses she thought she'd buried with her warrior ways. She had no clue where her feet were taking her, but she knew it would be to her old friend.  
  
Sure enough, as she entered an old graveyard, there he was. Red ponytail flapping in the wind, he stood with his back towards her, apparently praying over one of the smaller stones. Hotaru knew that was where Tomoe lay. Quietly, respectfully, she tiptoed down the path towards him.  
  
Sensing her presence, he turned and faced her. His face lit up in a cheerful grin. "Ah! Hotaru-dono! It is good to finally see you again!"  
  
Hotaru couldn't believe how much his face had changed over the years. What had happened to the dark, amber-eyed warrior she had known? How could he have switched over to this bright, purple-eyed, young man?  
  
Still, she smiled and bowed slightly. "It's been a long time, Kenshin."  
  
Kenshin. That name, though she had remembered to call him that upon their reunion, seemed so foreign to her.  
  
A short while later, the former comrades were sitting on a log near a small creek, catching up with long conversations. Actually, it wasn't the length of their speeches that took up the time. It was the long periods of silence in between as they recollected some scattered memories.  
  
"Kenshin, this was my first time here in the cemetery." Hotaru brought up softly. "How often have you come here to see Tomoe-san?"  
  
Kenshin was quiet for a moment. "I assume not enough times. But over the past years, I've come twice or maybe three times."  
  
"Did you happen upon the graves of the Katsura family?"  
  
She was of course referring to Katsura Kogoro, their old leader, as well as Tokaji.  
  
"Kogoro's grave is a large, well-marked piece close to the center of the graveyard." The rurouni replied, gazing at the gently flowing water before them. A school of minnow happened by, bringing ripples across his reflection.  
  
"And Tokaji's?"  
  
Kenshin shook his head. "No, there are no records of him here." He glanced over at her. "You were sure that he had been killed on that day, five years ago?"  
  
Hotaru nodded, a deep sadness welling up into her expression. "Yes, I was certain. Otherwise, he would have come back to me."  
  
As she began to cry, Kenshin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't cry, Hotaru-dono. Perhaps hope still shines for you somewhere. You shall see."  
  
After a pleasing dinner at the nearby Shirobeko, Kenshin and Hotaru said their goodbyes and parted ways. The rurouni promised he'd return the following year to visit, but in the meantime, the lonely roads of the new Japan called for him.  
  
Hotaru watched silently as she watched him leave. 'Himura Kenshin, you traded your bloody katana, a sword that takes lives, for a sakabatou.' She smiled thoughtfully. "But until my selfish desire is fulfilled, only a piece of me can follow your footsteps." 


	20. Chapter 19 Familiar Shadow

CHAPTER 19- FAMILIAR SHADOW  
  
The following night found Hotaru back in her own parlor, sewing by candlelight. Fatigue pulled down on her, but she pulled back up with a determined scowl. 'Until I pass out, I'm going to finish this kimono!'  
  
This dress wasn't to be hers, but an older woman from the village who asked for it. Thanks to Tomoe's early teachings back in Kyoto, Hotaru had been so proficient at sewing that she made a business out of it. It didn't pay much unless the dresses were formal, but it did provide a lone young woman with a comfortable life. She could not complain.  
  
Finally, she came to the last bit of stitching, along the sleeve of this fine work. Practically trembling with the urge to sleep, she gritted her teeth and began. "Just a little more! A little more!"  
  
KNOCK! KNOCK!  
  
"GAH!" She pricked her finger again! Whether from the slight pain or the sleeplessness, she irritably rose to her feet and wobbled to the door. "Who could it be at this hour??"  
  
She slid open the shoji and came face to face with a tall, lean figure, shadowed by the night.  
  
For a moment, her heart raced, but it was suppressed by a quirk of her eyebrow. "Um...can I help you, sir?"  
  
The figure cocked his head, apparently puzzled. "That's your greeting to me after all these years, Hotaru-chan?"  
  
That voice...  
  
Hotaru's eyes widened with shock. She knew that voice. She knew this man!  
  
Her knees giving out, she whispered his name. "Tokaji..."  
  
He caught her before she could fall and held her there. Immediately, she found the strength to wrap her arms around his waist, as well as the strength to cry. "Tokaji! Oh Tokaji!"  
  
He smiled and cradled her in his own arms, the same steely, warm arms she had known as a child.  
  
"I made a promise to you, didn't I?" he whispered.  
  
After a moment, she calmed herself down and smiled lovingly. "Yes, yes you did."  
  
With that said, she rose up on her toes to finish what Tokaji said they would finish.  
  
THE END  
  
Thank you so much for your support! And a special thanks to Jessica White for your dedication and reviews! Bye for now! 


End file.
